Fadnavis, Shinde, Ajit Pawar file nominations for Oct 21 state polls

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, state PWD minister Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar were among the politicians who filed nominations for October-21 Assembly elections on Friday, the last day to submit papers.

Fadnavis, accompanied by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP state president Chandrakant Patil, filed his papers from the Nagpur South-West constituency. Congress has fielded Ashish Deshmukh against the first BJP chief minister of the state.

Expressing confidence that the Mahayuti (mega alliance) of the BJP, Shiv Sena, RPI(A) and other allies will register an unprecedented victory in Vidarbha and Maharashtra, Fadnavis said, “I am sure the blessings are with us. I will register a record victory. We will win all 12 seats in Nagpur.”

Flanked by Union minister Hansraj Ahir, state finance minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar filed nomination from Ballarpur constituency in Chandrapur district, while housing minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and former minister Ganesh Naik, who joined the BJP in the recent past, filed papers from Shirdi and Airoli seats respectively.

Meanwhile, Shinde filed nomination from Kopri Pachpakhadi assembly segment in Thane district.

After submitting papers from Baramati constituency in Pune district, Ajit Pawar told reporters, “I do not have doubt I will get a huge response from the people in Baramati. On the day of result, Maharashtra will see the huge faith people in Baramati will repose in me.” The former Maharashtra deputy chief minister is pitted against BJPs Gopichand Padalkar.

Also, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal filed nomination from the Yeola Assembly constituency in Nashik district, while BJP candidate from Kankavli constituency Nitesh Rane, accompanied by his father and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, submitted his nomination papers.

The nominations will be scrutinised on October 5 and can be withdrawn till October 7. The result of the election to the 288-seat Assembly will be out on October 24.